Indian met dept to provide real-time weather update

Chandigarh, India: The Meteorological Department of India is working with National Informatics Centre (NIC) to make available all weather-related information on a GIS platform. It aims to develop an automated weather status tool on its website.

According to Dr Ajit Tyagi, Director General of Meteorology, Indian Meteorological Department, the Doppler radar has been set up at Patiala and it would also be connected to GIS. He added that the department is making data available in real time.

“We used to have a data gap. There were complaints about data delays. These would no longer be there and data would be available in real time to the forecasters and the public. Provisions for this were made in the present Five-Year Plan,” he noted. Automated weather stations are being installed at many locations. Around 53 such stations have been installed in parts of Haryana.

Automated rain gauges are also being installed. This would ensure that rainfall in all parts is measured. The phenomenon of localised rainfall, with some areas receiving more rainfall than the others, too is being taken into account.

The Met Department would also be taking steps to provide forecast for five days instead of three that is presently given. The information about impending disasters are being sent through SMS to the concerned authorities.

A similar facility is a available for farmers. Those who are interested in getting updates about the weather on their mobiles can do so by subscribing to the facility.

A Mega Tropic Satellite was launched in October this year. Meanwhile Insat 3D will be launched in March. This would provide vertical profile of humidity.